Avilés becomes the wine capital of celebrities, from Coppola to Almodóvar

2023-06-08T10:51:45.011Z

Highlights: Avilés will become, from the 8th to the 18th, the capital of celebrity wines. A dozen wine bars scattered throughout Avilés, Salinas and Piedrasblancas will uncork a selection of selected bottles. In total, more than 25 different wines will be served by the glass, with numerous varieties of grapes, from three countries, Spain, France and the United States. The objective is to promote wine culture, recognizes innovation and knowledge of wine culture.

The Asturian city celebrates from this Thursday until the 18th the 14th edition of the 'Famous Wine Festival', attended by about 5,000 people and 12 bars and wine bars participate

Avilés will become, from the 8th to the 18th, the capital of celebrity wines. Since 2010, the Famous Wine Festival has been held in this Asturian city, an event that brings together wines linked to world celebrities, either as owners of the wineries, as partners of the same or as a special collaboration. A dozen wine bars scattered throughout Avilés, Salinas and Piedrasblancas will uncork a selection of selected bottles, ranging from the wines of film director Pedro Almodóvar, which premieres at the festival, as well as those of former motorcycle racer and DJ Fonsi Nieto, Cuban musician Compay Segundo and Canarian poet José Hierro. To them will be added the wines of other well-known characters such as those of the filmmakers Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, the footballers David Silva and Julio Salinas, or the architect Rafael Moneo. In total, more than 25 different wines will be served by the glass, with numerous varieties of grapes, from three countries, Spain, France and the United States.

"This is a good initiative, which allows customers to know wines that are not normally available for daily chatting," explains Pablo Vega-Moreno, owner of La Llosa Bar, who since the first year participates in this initiative, promoted by the Mancomunidad Comarca de Avilés and the gastronomic events company Gustatio. This year he has chosen the three wines – white, rosé and red – of Pedro Almodóvar, produced by the winery Más que Vinos, in Dosbarrios, on the Meseta de Ocaña (Toledo), and of which he is also the author of the photographs of the labels that dress the bottles. "I found it interesting to have those of the filmmaker because it is the first time that these wines come to the festival and can arouse curiosity," says the hotelier, who sells in each edition about 90 bottles of the famous chosen. "All wines are sold out because they also have quality. A celebrity does not risk making a wine that does not comply, and they are linked to wineries or professionals who know how to make wine, "adds Vega-Moreno. He remembers as special the wine that most surprised his customers: "It was a white wine from the cellar of the French actor Gerard Depardieu with 24 months in barrel. It surprised everyone because it is not very common to drink aged white wines, we always drink them of the year, very young, "he says.

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The owner of the restaurant El Círculo, with wine bar included, Javier Rico, participates in the event since he opened the business five years ago. "It moves a lot of people, it is something different because it allows access to different wines, not classic wines, and for the business it opens up an important range of clientele". For this year he has chosen a cabernet sauvignon by Francis Ford Coppola. "I tried it and I thought it was a great wine. It leaves a little price of the chat – the glass will be served at 4.50 euros – but it is worth it, for its elegant cut, "says Rico, who has incorporated this reference into the restaurant's menu, which adds to the 160 he has in the cellar, of which 26 are served by the glass in the wine cellar. In previous editions, it recalls the acceptance of Ribera del Duero wines from the Thyssen Collection —Matarromera, Protos and Viña Pedrosa—, or the txacolí Ama, from the Gorka Izagirre winery, from the family of the Basque chef Eneko Atxa. "We usually sell about 80 bottles in each edition, because then people cheer up and drink other wines."

Francis Ford Coppola wines, which in this edition will be served at El Círculo, in an image provided by 'Famous Wine Festival'.

In 14 years, more than 200 references have been served within the festival, which receives in each edition, according to sources of the organization, about 5,000 participants. The wine bars act for more than a week as ambassadors of each winery, setting the place according to the artist it represents: from the music of the singers, to the projection of films by actors and directors or even decorate the premises with the colors of the athletes' team. The prices of wines by the glass range from 2.5 euros to 6 euros.

The objective is to promote wine culture, recognizes Mireia Torres, director of innovation and knowledge of Familia Torres, and in charge of leading a tasting – on Friday, June 9, at 19 pm, at the Palacio de Avilés hotel, and in which several vintages of La Scala Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva 2016, 2001 and 1988 will be tasted. and the 2013 vintage of Le Havre Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva—, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Jean Leon winery, created in the Penedès by the Cantabrian entrepreneur Ceferino Carrión. His story is cinematic: he emigrated as a stowaway to the United States, changed his name to Jean Leon, moved from New York to Los Angeles, worked as a waiter at Frank Sinatra's Villa Capri restaurant, rubbed shoulders with all the artists who were beginning to emerge in Hollywood, set up his own restaurant and later his winery. The wines that will be served are a tribute to Frank Sinatra and James Dean, partners of Jean Leon. "This festival serves to publicize a part of our culture and to generate expectations for an always moderate consumption of wine," explains Torres.

There will be another tasting, on June 15, at 19:30 p.m., in the church of Santa María de Raíces, in Castrillón, with the title of Famous wines and architecture, and will be officiated by the technical architect Pedro Zapico. It will taste wines from wineries designed by famous architects, such as Norman Foster, Frank Gehry and Santiago Calatrava.